Higher education

Poznań City Hall’s archive, photo. M. Nowaczyk

In 2017, in Poznań, 112 thousand people studied at 24 higher education institutions.

Higher education institutions

Poznań is one of the largest centres of higher education in the country, with 24 higher education institutions, including 8 public and 16 non-public universities (including the Local Faculty of the SWPS University). In total, around 112 thousand people study in the city, including 74 thousand (almost 2/3) in full-time studies. Almost 80% of students study in public schools and this share has been increasing for many years. About 24 thousand people study in non-private schools. Universities of Poznań offer about 250 fields of study, including the Master of Business Administration (MBA) profile. The most popular fields of study include:

• Economics
• Finances
• Management
• IT
• Pedagogy
• Administration
• Physiotherapy
• foreign language philologies.

Among students, over 120 people were laureates or finalists of nation-wide subject and vocational contests. The largest higher education institution is the A. Mickiewicz University, where every third student of Poznań is learning. Four out of five students are people from outside of Poznań, and about 35% come from outside the Wielkopolska Province.

Internationalisation of studies

Demographic situation in Poland influences the level of internationalisation of higher education. More and more often Polish higher education institutions offer programmes and conditions of studies focused on foreigners. As a result, foreign students from 100 countries are learning at universities in Poznań. They study mainly at the University of Medical Sciences and the A. Mickiewicz University. In the 2017/2018 academic year, the number of foreign students studying full-time programmes exceeded 4 thousand people (the majority from Ukraine – about 1.9 thousand, as well as from Belarus, India, China, Norway, Canada and the United States), and about 1.2 thousand people study as part of periodic exchanges, like Erasmus+ (most often: from Spain and Turkey). Also about 1.2 thousand students from Poznań receive part of education at foreign universities.

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Graduates of higher education institutions

In 2017, 29 thousand people graduated from Poznan’s higher education institutions with a bachelor’s or master’s degree, including over 3/4 of graduates receiving education in public schools, and nearly 2/3 completed full-time studies. The largest increase in graduates occurred at the A. Mickiewicz University (increase by 0.6 thousand people) and at the Poznan University of Economics and Business (by 0.8 thousand people).

Graduate and doctoral studies

In 2017, 5.5 thousand people graduated from post-graduate studies, the majority at the A. Mickiewicz University, the University of Economics and Business, and the WSB University. 4 universities also had MBA postgraduate programmes, which in 2017 were completed by about 150 people. In addition, 2.7 thousand people continue their education at doctoral studies run by public universities.

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Rankings of higher education institutions

Every year, the position of Poznań as a strong academic centre is confirmed by rankings, awards and accreditations granted. In the latest Perspektywy 2017 ranking:

• A. Mickiewicz University is the 4th best university in Poland, the 3rd among academic universities,
• University of Life Sciences – the 1st in the category of natural science universities,
• University of Economics and Business – the 3rd in the category of economic universities,
• University of Physical Education – the 4th in the category of physical education universities,
• K. Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences – the 5th in the category of medical universities,
• Poznań University of Technology – the 7th in the category of universities of technology.

The WSB University in Poznań received the accreditation of the international Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) for the specialisation “Business Finance and Taxes” in the field of Finance and Accounting. The ACCA is one of the most prestigious professional qualifications in finance and accounting, and the WSB University is the only non-public university in Poland accredited by this international organisation.

According to the ranking of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, at the national level, the TOP12 group of university the most besieged by candidates include:

• Poznań University of Technology,
• Poznań University of Physical Education,
• Poznań University of Economics and Business,

and among the non-public higher education institutions the WSB University.

The outstanding rate awarded by the Polish Accreditation Committee or the highest category A+ (leading level) or category A (very good level) awarded by the Committee for Evaluation of Scientific Units was obtained by the faculties of 8 Universities of Poznań:

• A.Mickiewicz University,
• Poznań University of Technology,
• Poznań University of Life Sciences,
• Poznań University of Economics and Business,
• University of the Arts Poznań,
• Poznań University of Medical Sciences,
• Academy of Music,
• SWPS University.

Research and scientific projects

In 2017, higher education institutions in Poznań implemented, among others, the following projects:

• “Time of BIS professionals – professional Wielkopolska” which was launched as part of the Wielkopolska Regional Operational Programme 2014+ and will be implemented by the end of 2022 by the Wielkopolska Regional Government and the Poznań University of Technology in cooperation with interested local governments, employers and schools educating professionally from the Wielkopolska Province;
• ENRICHME (Enabling Robot and Assisted Living Environment for Independent Care and Health Monitoring of the Elderly – Analysis of the needs of the elderly in the context of the possibility of using robots to help them function independently at home), implemented as part of the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (Horizon 2020), in which the K. Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences is one of the partners;
• ORBIS (Open Research Biopharmaceutical Internships Support) – cross-sectoral scientific research project, in which the K. Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences, for the first time in the history of the university, is the leader of the consortium of 9 academic and commercial institutions from Europe and the USA;
• Joint Research Centre of the New Silk Route in Poznań created by a consortium of 23 Polish and Chinese universities, including the Poznań University of Technology, aimed at increasing educational cooperation between China and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe;
• project of research network of scientific institutions from Central and Eastern Europe and China, including Poznań University of Economics and Business, 16+1 High Level Academic Platform.

The College of Modern Languages is cooperating with the University of Huddersfield (Great Britain) as part of the 2+2 programme, which allows completion of the bachelor’s programme of English philology at the British University.

Successes of students from Poznań

Poznań students are successful in science and technology. In 2017:

students of Poznań University of Technology designed and constructed a racing car called “Cybina,” with many innovative solutions. The vehicle was built for the Exide company.

students from the Faculty of Architecture of the Poznań University of Technology won the special prize of the We Are Water Foundation in the 7th edition of the international design contest Jump The Gap. Their success was brought by the unconventional and innovative Delta design – a shower with sliding screens, integrated with an air dryer converting steam into water which can be reused.

• a team of students from the A. Mickiewicz University won the European final of the Google Online Marketing Challenge, beating over 2.6 thousand teams from all over Europe. The team presented the marketing campaign of an on-line electronics store and an application which indicated the nearest points where electronic waste can be handed over.
• a student of the Academy of Music was first in the category of choral music at the 13th International Composer’s Competition Musica Sacra Nova 2017 in Rome.
• a student of the Academy of Music received the Gold Award in the category: harpsichord, organ and accordion at the 9th SVIREL International Music Competition and Festival for Soloists and Chamber Groups in Nova Gorica in Slovenia.

New educational offer

Universities of Poznań are making changes to the educational offer, opening new specialisations and programmes. There are also nearly 50 programmes in foreign languages. Last year, among others, the following fields of study were created:

• Data analysis and processing; English Linguistics: Theories, Interfaces, Technologies (A. Mickiewicz University),
• Financial Engineering, Innovation Management (Poznań University of Economics and Business),
• Animation of people 50+ (Poznań University of Physical Education),
• Pro-development education; Creative management (Collegium da Vinci),
• Physical education and health (Uni-Terra University).

Branches of higher education institutions

In the 2017/2018 academic year, there were changes in the structure of branches and divisions. The School of Education and Administration created two new branches in Warsaw and Wągrowiec, and the University of Security in Skoczów.

Employment in higher education institutions

Higher education institutions in Poznań are also one of the largest employers in the region. In total, almost 14 thousand people are employed here, including almost 8,000 academic teachers, of whom 1.1 thousand has the title of a professor. In Poznań, students have 35 student houses at their disposal, which can accommodate over 9.3 thousand people.

Investments of higher education institutions

Higher education institutions of Poznań continued investments to develop the didactic and scientific base. Poznań University of Technology is expanding the seat of the Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications (expected completion date – 2018) and is building a seat for the Faculty of Architecture and the Faculty of Engineering Management (expected completion date – 2019). At the Poznań University of Life Sciences, the construction of a wing of the Kolegium Zembala at ul. Dąbrowskiego was continued (completion planned in 2018). In 2018, the University of Medical Sciences will complete the construction of the Medical Simulation Centre.

Higher education institutions in Poznań

Source: Polish Central Statistical Office

Higher education in the largest cities in Poland (2016)

Source: Polish Central Statistical Office